Dial feed for presses



March 22, 1966 H. E. THORNTON DIAL FEED FOR PRESSES 5 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed April 9, 19 4 N 0 W N w m 5 4 L v, E E c w!" x w I 1 l w 13 13 Qmm NM NM 5 Q ww ffi fi 1: x vi 1 Q\\\| w 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 9,1964 INVENTOR. //A r5 i/a/eA/ro/v March 22, 1966 H. E. THORNTON3,241,656

DIAL FEED FOR PRESSES Filed April 9, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 J L I L I 3 I1 l I I I /W .47" oeA/E/ March 22, 1966 H. E. THORNTON 3,241,656

DIAL FEED FOR PRESSES Filed April 9, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 T .1 E M a;

\ I g6 4J\ H" W I I" j j L I NVENTOR.

March 22, 1966 H. E. THORNTON I 3,241,656

DIAL FEED FOR PRESSES Filed April 9, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 BY I UnitedStates Patent 3,241,656 DIAL FEED FOR PRESSES Harry E. Thornton,Plainfield, N.J., assignor to Bound Brook Bearing Corporation ofAmerica, Middlesex, N.J., a corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 9, 1964,Ser. No. 358,536 9 Claims. (Cl. 198209) This invention relates to feedmechanism for presses.

More particularly, the invention relates to mechanism for feeding metalcomponents, particularly irregularly shaped, sintered, powdered metal,structural parts into a sizing die for cold coining and the subsequenttransfer of the sized parts to a discharge point. In its broad aspect,the invention comprises a press feeding mechanism providing a feed diskor dial having a plurality of workpiece sockets spaced about itsperiphery, said disk or dial having means for intermittently rotatingthe same to bring each of said sockets successively into a work zonewhere the feed disk or dial is latched againstrotation as the pressoperates on the workpieces, and press controlled means for releasing thelatching mechanism between press strokes.

In its more particular aspects, the invention provides a workpiecefeeding disk or dial having a plurality of workpiece sockets spacedaround its periphery, the disk or dial being adapted to carry workpiecesfrom a loading station to a work station where a sizing or coiningoperation is performed on the workpieces, and from thence to a dischargestation. The feeding disk or dial is connected to indexing means forrotating the feed disk or dial between press strokes and for positivelylatching it against rotation when the workpiece sockets are rotated intothe work zone. In a specific embodiment, an electromagnetic release hasbeen provided for the indexing mechanism in combination with a presscontrol system which prevents the press from operating whenever the feeddisk is released for rotation.

It is a specific object of the invention to provide a feeding adjunctfor a sizing or coining press which adjunct is adapted to receive asuccession of components at a point remote from a press work zone intowhich the components are delivered and at which the components areprocessed by the press, and which then delivers the processed componentsfrom the work zone to a discharge point which is also remote from thework zone.

It is still a further object of the invention to provide a very simplepress feeding mechanism which employs interchangeable workpiece feedingdials, whereby workpieces of a great variety of shapes and forms may beprocessed in a completely safe and expeditious manner.

These and further objects and advantages of the invention will becomeapparent from a reading of the following description which isilluminated by the drawings, in which drawings like reference numeralsindicate like parts, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a dial feed drive mechanism, takenon line 1--1 of FIG. 2;

FIG, 2 is a plan view of the mechanism, taken on line 22, of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view showing certain of thecontrol mechanism, parts being shown in section and other parts in fullline, and being taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an end elevational view of an indexing control pawl andratchet mechanism, taken on line 4-4, of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the mechanism of FIG. 4, taken on line 5-5 ofFIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view through a planetary drive mechanism;

3,241,656 Patented Mar. 22, 1966 FIGS. 7 and 8 comprise plan views ofdial feed plates on a reduced scale; and

FIG. 9 is a diagrammatic representation of the control circuit.

Typical dial feed plates 10 and 12 are shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. Theseplates are adapted to overlie the bed of a sizing or coining press. Theplates 10 and 12 are removably attached to a drive shaft 14 by means ofmachine screws 16. The drive shaft 14 extends upwardly through the bedplate of the press and it is connected to driving and control mechanismlocated beneath the bed plate of the press. The latter driving andcontrol apparatus is designed to rotate the dial feed plate instep-by-step progression from a workpiece loading point to a work zoneand then to a discharge point, thus avoiding the necessity for the pressoperator to feed workpieces directly into a die cavity in the vicinityof the press ram.

The dial feed mechanism is particularly useful for the feeding ofirregularly and oddly shaped workpieces. Adapting each plate to feedworkpieces of a particular configuration are a plurality of spacedsockets 18, conformed to the shape of the workpieces, formed at regularintervals about its periphery. Thus, the workpiece can be fed by handinto the sockets at a loading station which is remote from the workzone. As it is then intermittently stepped, the dial feed plate willcarry the workpiece to the work zone where a coining or pressingoperation is performed upon the workpieces by the descending press ram.Thereafter, as the dial feed plate continues to rotate between each ofthe press strokes, the processed workpiece will be carried away from thework zone for discharge adjacent the work loading station. The dial feedplates Ill and 12, which differ from each other only in the size andshape of the sockets 18, are representative of "an entire series of suchplates which may be easily produced for the feeding of a great varietyof differentially shaped workpieces.

A dial feed plate, such as the plate 10 or plate 12, as stated, isdriven and controlled through a planetary gear assembly 20, a speedreducer 22 and a motor 24. The motor 24, in a practical installation nowin operation, is a 1750 rpm. three-quarter horsepower motor. The outputshaft 26 of the motor is coupled to the input shaft 28 of the speedreducer, the latter in the practical installation above mentioned is aBoston Gear Company VA-lO speed reducer having a 9.75:1 ratio. Thecoupling between the motor shaft 26 and the input shaft of the speedreducer is preferably a flexible coupling 30, as shown in FIG. 2.

The output shaft 32 (FIG. 6) of the speed reducer 22 has rotatablymounted thereon a planetary gear housing 34. The housing is an upwardlyopening dished structure adapted to receive and generally enclose aplanetary gear system. The housing 34 is supported on the reducer shaft32 by means of anti-friction bearings 36 disposed within an enlarged hub38 of the housing. A hearing cap 40, spacers 42 and 44 and a sealingring 46 complete the mounting structure for the housing.

Within the housing 34 is an annular ring gear 48 seated on andfixed to ashoulder 50 at an open face of the housing. Fixed to the shaft 32 of thespeed reducer for rotation therewith is a sun gear 52. Interposedbetween the ring gear 48 and the sun gear are a pair of planet gears 54and 56; the assembly of gears thereby constituting a planetary geararrangement.

The sun gears 54 and 56 are carried by an index plate 58. The indexplate 58 overlies the open face of the gear housing 34 and supports thesun gears 54 and 56 from the lower face thereof by means of studbearings 60 and 62, respectively. The dial feed plate drive shaft 14 isfixed to the upper face of the indexing plate 58 by means'of suitablemachine screws 64 and consequently ice this shaft rotates with the platewhen the latter is rotated by the planetary gear assembly.

Ordinarily the gear housing 34 will be freely rotated about the reducershaft 32 by way of the sun gear 52 and the planet gears 54 and 56. Underthese conditions the index plate 58 can be held against rotation suchthat no output power is delivered to the shaft 14. If, however, the gearhousing 34 is held against rotation and the index plate 58 is free toturn, the reducer output shaft 32 will drive the index plate 58 andconsequently the shaft 14 will be driven in rotation.

The index plate 58, as best shown in FIG. 2, has equally spaced notches66 formed in its peripheral edge. The edge of the index plate 58 betweenadjacent notches is on a curvature which provides a cam surfacecooperating generally with an index pawl 68. When the index pawl 68 isengaged with any one of the notches 66, the pawl serves to hold theplate 58 and consequently the shaft 14 against rotation. The rotationalposition of the dial feed plates 10 and 12 in respect to the severallocating notches 66 of the index plate 58 when either mounted on theupper end of the shaft 14 is so adjusted that whenever the index pawl 68is seated in a notch 66 of the index plate, a work holding socket 18 ofthe dial feed plate will be in the work zone of the press to receive theimpact of the press ram.

The invention provides mechanism for releasing the index plate 58 fromthe holding elfect of the index pawl 68 and for thereafter holding thegear housing 34 against rotation such that the index plate and the dialfeed plate shaft 14 connected thereto are driven. The first of thesefunctions is performed by an index plate release assembly 70, as bestshown in FIGS. 4 and 5, and the second of these functions is performedby a brake device 72, disclosed in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.

The index plate release assembly 70 (FIG. consists essentially of theindex pawl 68, a ratchet 74 cooperating therewith and a rotary solenoid76 for driving the ratchet 74. The rotary solenoid 76 is fixed to astationary frame member 78 such that the index pawl 68 is in horizontalalignment with the edge of the index plate 58. The index pawl 68, asshown in FIG. 4, has a cross-sectional configuration of an inverted,truncatedcone. It is adapted to reciprocate in a correspondingly shaped,fixed guideway 80. The outer end of the index pawl is supported by afixed strap 82 which has an apertured downwardly extending leg 84through which the pawl extends.

The pawl 68 is ordinarily urged inwardly, i.e., its inner end is pressedinto contact with the periphery of the index plate 58 by means of aspring 86 interposed between a shoulder on the pawl and the inner faceof the leg 86. Extending downwardly from the bottom face of the indexpawl 68 is a lug 88 which is adapted to engage the peripheral edge ofthe racthet 74 which has formed in its periphery a plurality of equallyspaced oblong ratchet teeth 90. If the ratchet 74 is rotated in acounterclockwise direction when the lug 88 is engaged with the teeth ofthe ratchet, as viewed in FIG. 5, the index pawl 68 will be projected tothe right in that figure against the tension of the spring 86. When soprojected, the inner end 92 of the index pawl will be withdrawn from theindex plate notch 66 with which it is engaged suc that the index plate58 is free to rotate.

The index pawl 68 is operated to release the index plate 58 by therotary solenoid 76 which has a plurality of clutching teeth 94 formed inthe free end of its core. These teeth are adapted to engage acorresponding set of teeth 96 formed in one end of a ratchet shaft 98.The teeth 94 and 96 are normally separated from each other. However,when the solenoid 76 is energized, its core 100 will be projected androtated simultaneously to first engage the teeth 94 and 96 and thenrotate the ratchet shaft 98. From the foregoing it can be seen that whenthe rotary solenoid 76 is energized projection and rotation of its corewill rotate the ratchet 74 and will cause the ratchet to project thepawl 68 to the right by reason of engagement between the ratchet and thelug 88 on the index pawl. The index plate 58 is thus released and cannow be rotated.

The ratchet shaft 98 is supported for rotation in a porous bronzebearing 102 which is surrounded by a lubricating gland 104 to which alubricant is admitted from an oil cup 106. The ratchet 74 is, of course,connected to the upper free end of the ratchet shaft 98.

In order to hold the gear housing 34 against rotation, there is providedherein a braking mechanism, as stated. By reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3,it will be seen that the annular vertical outer face of the gear housing34 is surrounded by a brake band 108. This and is supported relative tothe gear housing 34 by m ans f a fixed supporting lug and a fixed rod112. The lug 110 extends outwardly from the supporting frame 113 and itis apertured to receive a stud 114 fixed to and extending outwardly fromthe brake band 158. A coil spring 116 is disposed between the inner faceof the lug 110 and the outer face of the brake band 108 and bearsthereon with sufiicient force to urge the brake band in the direction ofthe gear housing 34.

The mechanism by which the brake band 108 is brought into brakingengagement with the gear housing 34, includes the supporting rod 112 andits associated mechanism. The brake band 108 is in the form of anannular split band having a pair of apertured ears 118 and 120 (FIG. 2)through which the supporting rod 112 passes. The supporting rod 112 alsopasses through a pair of apertured upstanding mounting lugs 122 and 124which comprise fixed parts of the frame structure.

The brake band 108 is normally biased into open posi tion by means of acoil spring 126 seated about the sup porting rod 112 and located betweenthe brake band ears 118 and 120. When the spring 126 is effective on thebrake band, it will hold the band away from the gear housing 34 asufiicient distance to let the gear housing rotate freely.

The ear 120 of the brake band normally bears against a fixed abutment128, while the opposite car 118 is engaged by an operating lever 130.The side of the operating lever 130 remote from the brake band ear 118has an angular camming surface 132 engaging a complementary cammingsurface 134 formed in one end of a fixed nut 136. Thus, when theoperating lever 130 is actuated by pulling it downwardly, as viewed inFIG. 1, the camming surfaces 132 and 134 will coact with the result thatthe lever 130 will force the brake band ear 118 toward its complement120 and thereby tighten the brake band against the outer wall of thegear housing 34. Under these conditions, the gear housing 34 will beheld stationary and rotation, instead, will be imparted to the indexplate 58 and the output shaft 14 fixed thereto and extending therefrom.

The brake operating shaft 130 is yieldingly connected to a link 138.This connection is effected by a coil spring which is disposed betweenthe operating lever 130 and a nut 142 at the upper end of the link 138.The link 138 is pivoted to a core 144 of a solenoid 146 by means of apivot pin 148. Thus, when the solenoid 146 is energized and attracts itscore 144, the link 138 will be drawn downwardly, as viewed in FIG. 1.This will serve to swing the lever 130 about the axis of the supportingrod 112 and thereby contract the brake band 108 against the wall of thegear housing 34, thereby holding the housing against rotation.

It has been stated hereinabove that the movement of the several parts ofthe dial feed mechanism must be so synchronized with each other and withthe operation of the press ram so as to assure the proper registrationof the workpiece in the work zone for receiving the impact of the pressram and for the purpose of avoiding malfunction of the equipment. Thissynchronous operation is brought.

about by a simple control circuit, such as shown in FIG. 9. In thisfigure, the press crank shaft 150 has a cam 152 fixed thereto. Anormally open microswitch 154 is so located and associated with the cam152 that the microswitch 154 is closed by the cam 152 at the top of thepress stroke. The several components of the control circuit areconnected across 220-volt power lines 156 and 158.

The rotary solenoid 76 is fed 90 volts direct current by means of arectifier 160. The rotary solenoid 76 will,

therefore, be energized at the top of the press stroke when the cam 152closes the microswitch 154. When this condition is present, the indexpawl 68 will be withdrawn from contact with the index plate '58, asabove explained.

The outer end of the index pawl 68 (FIG. 2) has associated therewith apair of microswitches 162 and 164 which are transferred when the indexpawl 68 is reciprocated (see also FIG. 9). The microswitch 162 isnormally open and the microswitch 164 is normally closed. In the contextof this description, the term normally is taken to mean the position ofthe elements when the in.- dex pawl 68 is fully engaged with the indexplate 58.

It can be seen that the planetary brake actuating solenoid 146 (FIG. 9)should be deenergized by opening of the microswitch 162 when the indexplate 58 is held against rotation. By the same token, it can be seenthat the solenoid operated valve 166 should block passage of air to apress control cylinder 170 when the index plate 58 is free to revolve.As seen in FIG. 9, closure of the microswitch 162 as the index pawl 68(FIG. 2) moves to the right to disengage the index plate 58 will closethe microswitch 162 and will thus energize the brake operating solenoid146. When the brake operating solenoid 146 is energized, it will holdthe planetary gear housing 34 against rotation and cause rotation of theindexing plate 58 and its associated output shaft 14.

When the index plate 58 moves a distance of one station, i.e., thedistance between the center of adjacent workpiece sockets (FIGS. 7 and8), the end 92 of the index pawl 68 will drop into the next indexingnotch 66. As this action takes place, the index pawl 68, upon inwardmovement into engagement with the index plate 58, will permit themicroswitch 162 to open. Since the opening of the microswitch 162 nowbreaks the circuit to the planetary brake solenoid 146, the brakesolenoid 146 will release the planetary breaking mechanism with theresult that the output torque of the planetary gear system via the indexplate 58 and the output shaft 14 is reduced to zero.

When the index pawl 68 moves out of contact with the index plate 58,i.e., to the right in FIG. 2, the microswitch 164, normally closed, willopen thereby opening the circuit to the solenoid valve 166. This willprevent operation of the press control air cylinder 170. Thus, asafeguard is provided against inadvertent operation of the press whilethe index plate 58 is free to rotate. However, with the index pawl 68 inits full in position in contact with the index plate 58, the microswitch164 will close to operate the solenoid operated valve 166 to allow asupply of compressed air to flow by way of a foot-operated valve 168 tothe press control air cylinder 170 which is of conventional structureand which is connected in a conventional fashion to the press clutch.This portion of the circuit, therefore, provides an interlock to preventtripping of the press when the feed dial is not properly registered inthe work zone.

From the foregoing, it can be seen that a very simple, yet effective andsafe, feed device has been provided for the successive feeding ofworkpieces of irregular shape and form to the work zone of sizing andcoining presses. The invention has been described in conjunction with asingle physical embodiment of which the component parts have equivalentcounterparts readily interchangeable with the illustrative componentsadopted for the explanation of the invention. It is contemplated,therefore, that the claims will circumscribe the scope of the inventionand that the specific illustration and description have as their purposethe disclosure of a practical embodiment.

What is claimed is:

1. A press feeding mechanism comprising a feed disk having a pluralityof workpiece sockets spaced about its periphery, means forintermittently rotating said feed disk to bring said socketssuccessively into registration with a work zone, means for positivelylatching said disk against rotation when said sockets are rotated intosaid work zone, electromagnetic means for releasing said latching 'meansbetween press strokes, a normally open energizing circuit for saidelectromagnetic means, and press controlled means for periodicallyclosing said energizing circuit.

2. A press feeding mechanism comprising a feed disk having a pluralityof workpiece sockets spaced about its periphery, indexing means forintermittently rotating said feed disk to bring said socketssuccessively into registration with a work zone, means for positivelylatching said disk against rotation when said sockets are rotated intosaid work zone, press controlled means for releasing said latching meansbetween press strokes, and means under control of said latching meanswhen the same is in release position for indexing said feed disk.

3. A press feeding mechanism comprising a feed disk having a pluralityof workpiece sockets spaced about its periphery, indexing means forintermittently rotating said feed disk to bring said socketssuccessively into registration with a work zone, means for positivelylatching said disk against rotation when said sockets are rotated intosaid work Zone, press controlled means for releasing said latching meansbetween press strokes, and electromagnetic means under control of saidlatching means when the same is in release position for indexing saidfeed disk.

4. A press feeding mechanism comprising a feed disk having a pluralityof workpiece sockets spaced about its periphery, indexing means forintermittently rotating said feed disk to bring said socketssuccessively into registration with a work zone, means for positivelylatching said disk against rotation when said sockets are rotated intosaid work zone, electromagnetic means for releasing said latching meansbetween press strokes, electromagnetic means under control of saidlatching means when the same is in release position for indexing saidfeed disk, a normally open energizing circuit for said first namedelectromagnetic means, and press controlled means for periodicallyclosing said energizing circuit.

5. A press feeding mechanism comprising a feed disk having a pluralityof workpiece sockets spaced about its periphery, means forintermittently rotating said feed disk to bring said socketssuccessively into registration with a work zone, means for positivelylatching said disk against rotation when said sockets are rotated intosaid work zone, press controlled means for releasing said latching meansbetween press strokes, press control means, and means effective todisable said press control means whenever said feed disk is released forrotation by said latching means.

6. A press feeding mechanism comprising a feed disk having a pluralityof workpiece sockets spaced about its periphery, means forintermittently rotating said feed disk to bring said socketssuccessively into registration with a work zone, means for positivelylatching said disk against rotation when said sockets are rotated intosaid work Zone, electromagnetic means for releasing said latching meansbetween press strokes, press control means, means effective to disablesaid press control means whenever said feed disk is released forrotation by said latching means, a normally open energizing circuit forsaid electromagnetic means, and press controlled means for periodicallyclosing said energizing circuit.

7. A press feeding mechanism comprising a feed disk having a pluralityof workpiece sockets spaced about its periphery, indexing means forintermittently rotating said feed disk to bring said socketssuccessively into registration with a work zone, means for positivelylatching said disk against rotation when said sockets are rotated intosaid work zone, press controlled means for releasing said latching meansbetween press strokes, press control means, means effective to disablesaid press control means whenever said feed disk is released forrotation by said latching means, and means under control of saidlatching means when the same is in release position for indexing saidfeed disk.

8. A press feeding mechanism comprising a feed disk having a pluralityof workpiece sockets spaced about its periphery, indexing means forintermittently rotating said feed disk to bring said socketssuccessively into registration with a work zone, means for positivelylatching said disk against rotation when said sockets are rotated intosaid work zone, press controlled means for releasing said latching meansbetween press strokes, press control means, means elfective to disablesaid press control means whenever said feed disk is released forrotation by said latching means, and electromagnetic means under controlof said latching means when the same is in release position for indexingsaid feed disk.

9. A press feeding mechanism comprising a feed disk having a pluralityof workpiece sockets spaced about its periphery, indexing means forintermittently rotating said feed disk to bring said socketssuccessively into registration with a work zone, means for positivelylatching said disk against rotation when said sockets are rotated intosaid work zone, electromagnetic means for releasing said latching meansbetween press strokes, press control means, means etfective to disablesaid press control means whenever said feed disk is released forrotation by said latching means, electromagnetic means under control ofsaid latching means when the same is in release position for indexingsaid feed disk, a normally open energizing circuit for said first namedelectromagnetic means, and press controlled means for periodicallyclosing said energizing circuit.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 11/1933 Kylin74823 1/ 1965 Hediger 74822

1. A PRESS FEEDING MECHANISM COMPRISING A FEED DISK HAVING A PLURALITYOF WORKPIECE SOCKETS SPACED ABOUT ITS PERIPHERY, MEANS FORINTERMITTENTLY ROTATING SAID FEED DISK TO BRING SAID SOCKETSSUCCESSIVELY INTO REGISTRATION WITH A WORK ZONE, MEANS FOR POSITIVELYLATCHING SAID DISK AGAINST ROTATION WHEN SAID SOCKETS ARE ROTATED INTOSAID WORK ZONE, ELECTROMAGNETIC MEANS FOR RELEASING SAID LATCHING MEANSBETWEEN PRESS STROKES, A NORMALLY OPEN ENERGIZING CIRCUIT FOR SAIDELECTROMAGNETIC MEANS, AND PRESS CONTROLLED MEANS FOR PERIODICALLYCLOSING SAID ENERGIZING CIRCUIT.